I’m a yoga teacher, so when I started experiencing chronic pain after falling down a flight of stairs in a remote town in Laos with no access to medical care, and a few months later pulling my back while doing some heavy lifting on karma yoga duty at an ashram in India, the toll it took on my physical and emotional wellbeing was . . . . well, it was challenging to say the least. Chronic pain doesn’t just happen overnight. It comes and it goes over the years until unsuspectingly, you begin to notice its daily presence. For me, it was a pain that ran from the top of my neck, down the right side of my back, ending somewhere around the lumbosacral joint, where the lumbar spine and sacrum meet. Simple tasks can be agonizing. The worst part though, is that although yoga helped to soften the discomfort, it also became a daily reminder of the pain, because with yoga, I was always aware. Aware of how different moving an arm or a leg can feel from one day to the next, how the pain progresses. Aware of my own physical condition in each and every yoga class that I taught. Aware of my deteriorating mental and emotional condition and eventually aware of its toll on even my relationship with my husband. Yup, chronic pain can make its way into every part of your life. Over the years, I had tried various treatments. Some to just get me through the pain. Others to address the source of the pain. But it wasn’t until recently that I found real hope. I had heard about a technique called Rolfing a few years ago. As defined by the Rolfing Institute of Structural Integration, Rolfing is “a holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organizes the whole body in gravity.” The goal of Rolfing is to restore the individual to his/her natural alignment to encourage an easier interaction between the self and gravity. After a little bit of research, I visited Hee Tan, a certified Rolfer, located in Singapore. I opted for the full 10-session Rolfing treatment. The changes to my body were noticeable immediately after the first session. I felt longer, lifted, lighter, along with an experience of diminishing pain. Session after session, we worked through the different parts of the body, identifying the sources of the pain and also acknowledging the history of my active life. What do I mean by this? Well, I’ve been identifying the source of my pain as the two most recent injuries that I mentioned above. As it turns out, ALL of the little injuries along the course of my life (some that I barely even remembered) are relevant. I think about them as layers of brick. Layers of injuries that may seem significant or insignificant at the moment that they occur, but together form one big, solid, impermeable wall of pain. By the Rolfing Institute’s definition of the technique, I have experienced the “soft tissue manipulation” as the part done primarily by the Rolfer and the “movement education” as the information he passes to me, that then becomes my work. It is the knowledge of how my body has compensated for my injuries, which muscles are overworked, which ones have been neglected in my daily movements that were truly the defining moments of my path to healing. As a yoga teacher, I thought I understood my body and its movements, but what I learned from my sessions with Hee were really . . . . mindblowing! What I’d like others who suffer from chronic pain to know is that there is hope, but there is no magic pill. Before my Rolfing sessions, I used to view my treatments, as something my therapist would do to me. I lie on the bed and they massage me, or treat me with needles or with energy work, and believe me, it’s all good stuff. But the reality is that for it to be sustainable, you have to continue to move with awareness. You have to continue to do the work. There’s a certain reprogramming that needs to be done and this must diligently be done by you! Patience is virtue. As the body heals, it changes. There were moments in my yoga practice that I felt like a beginner all over again. I had been practicing yoga for over 12 years and I found myself as a beginner! And as frustrating as that was, it was also absolutely incredible! I often ask if there are any beginners in my classes. We often think of a beginner as not having done that many classes or not being familiar with the postures, but how about familiarity with one’s own body? I was a beginner again because I was unfamiliar with my own body, how to move it, what squared hips felt like, how to use muscles that were underworked. Slowly, and with patience, I became familiar again and also started to enjoy some of the new experiences that my body presents to me each day. I am ever grateful to what Rolfing has done for me and for the kind and knowledgeable care that I received. ­­_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ If you are heading to or passing through Singapore, check out Hee Tan’s website, www.postureconnection.com or contact him by e-mail: postureconnection@gmail.com or phone: (+65) 8498-5673.

“Who Owns Yoga” is a documentary by Bhanu Bhatnagar, a journalist who also moonlights as a yoga teacher in Doha, Qatar; Micah Garen and Marie-Helene Carleton, award-winning documentary filmmakers and founders of Four Corners Media. The documentary reflects upon the current state of the yoga industry and raises some important questions regarding the future of yoga for all. Whether you are a regular or occasional yoga student or teacher, this debate is relevant to you. Please take the time to read this blog and to watch this engaging documentary. “Who Owns Yoga” is also in the works to be a made into a feature-length independent film, supported by funds raised through Kickstarter. If you would like to support this project, donations can be made by clicking on the link at the end of this blog. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yoga is, today, a multibillion-dollar industry! In the United States alone, the annual amount spent on yoga products totals approximately USD27 billion. That incudes the classes we attend, the equipment we purchase, the clothes we wear and the vacations we take. Compare that to the USD63 billion spent on all sporting goods annually. In the last five years, we’ve seen an 87 percent increase in spending on yoga products. Between 2008 and 2012 yoga participation increased by 29 percent. Industry revenues are expected to increase by 4.8 percent annually through 2019. This statistic includes just the United States and does not account for trends seen in Europe, Central and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, which are also on the rise. It comes as no surprise, yoga is a MAJOR industry!

From rather simple beginnings where the practice was passed down from guru to an individual student, to the emergence of yoga ashrams, to the explosion of yoga studios and retreat centers worldwide, how we define yoga, how we practice it, and as teachers, how we teach it is in constant evolution. The rise of yoga styles is also something of interest as yoga gurus emerge from various lineages, some to share their own approaches to the practice of yoga and some because in a competitive market, standing out from crowd is the essence of both gaining a share of the market and remaining relevant in an ever-changing environment. And so, from the days of Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini and Sivananda Yoga, we now see the genesis of much more modern and creative spirits of Aerial Yoga, Voga, Rave Yoga and everything in between. “What is Yoga?”

With the ever-grow growing marketing machine behind yoga’s explosive popularity, the question “What is Yoga?” has become the core of many discussions amongst seasoned yogis. Traditionalists or classicalists are quick to judge new and modern forms as “NOT” yoga. A trip to India, the birthplace of yoga, might surprise you however, with its general openness to the definition of yoga. The ancient philosophy behind this practice is in fact accessible to a modern lifestyle and perhaps this ability of yoga philosophy to be understood in its simplicity by all as a journey towards being the best version of yourself as you can be, is what draws millions of people to it. “Is Yoga a Secular Practice?” With roots that date back to approximately 6000 years ago and knowledge gained from the Vedas, the oldest existing written literature in the Indian Subcontinent, yoga shares similar bedrock to the religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. But yoga philosophy itself is secular and any overlaps with Hinduism are in a cultural rather than religious context. While most yogis experience yoga in a secular way, Religious activists still claim that yoga is rooted in Hindu beliefs. This point is further discussed in the documentary through interviews with advocates of various perspectives. “Who Owns Yoga?” Currently, yoga enjoys the freedom of expression and of individuality. While Yoga Alliance recommends guidelines and minimum standards for yoga teachers and schools, throughout the world, it is not a regulatory body. In fact, there is no overarching regulatory body that determines what yoga is and isn’t. This is the beauty of yoga. In recent years however, with the likes of Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga, seeking to patent or copyright yoga sequences, the Indian government is putting together a yoga knowledge database of existing postures to ensure that these stay in the public sphere. But with the practice and the industry changing faster than we can keep up with, what is the future of yoga? The questions above are explored by, Bhanu Bhatnagar, who incidentally also taught his first yoga class in Luang Prabang. In this fourty-minute documentary, Bhanu seeks to find the answers to these questions through interviews with renowned gurus in the East and West, as well as other key players in the Industry. If you are a yoga practitioner, these questions should matter. The future of yoga and our individual right to make yoga our own matters. “Who Owns Yoga” can be watched by following the link below:

﻿If you enjoyed the documentary please support the effort to turn it into a full-lenth feature film and to continue to bring awareness to these important discussions affecting Yoga today. You can find out more information about the film and make donations through Kickstarter at the following link: Who Owns Yoga Kickstarter Campaign﻿

People come from all walks of life looking for calm, tranquility and every variation of the word "PEACE." It seems as if everybody is looking for peace these days, traveling halfway across the world in search of this thing, this feeling, this state of being that we've all heard about, but can't seem to hold on to with our hands, our hearts, our minds. Even in a sleepy town, set in a seemingly "peaceful" setting between two lazy rivers, the sound of a car or the baseline from a nearby boom box can throw us off on our path to peace, and we're forced to begin our agitated journey once again.

And so it seems as if we've been searching in all the wrong places - outside instead of in - perhaps because creating a picture perfect image of peace is much more pleasant than acknowledging the ugly thoughts, the fears that keep us up at night, the would haves, could haves, should haves and the what ifs.

What if . . . . . what if for a moment we could absorb ourselves entirely into the present, where yesterday and tomorrow did not exist. What if all there is, is NOW, so that even a simple and mundane task such as chopping an onion could take on a whole new meaning, as if doing it for the first time ever. To be engrossed in the texture, the smell, the stinging sensation of the eyes, to acknowledge the experience without an expectation of what comes next. To be undisturbed by the comings and goings of the world around. To be untroubled by that stinging sensation in the eyes. It is what it is. This is what is happening now. Acceptance.

The nice thing about peace though is that it can be contagious, even if for a brief moment. One person's inner peace affects another person's inner peace until, with a little bit of effort, it becomes accessible and available to all. Peace isn't a permanent state of being though, nor should we ever expect it to be. Maybe there's some solace in knowing that. It comes and it goes. Eventually, we learn how to access it in our times of need, like making hot tea on a cold, rainy day. And maybe that cup of tea becomes two cups, three cups . . . . until there's enough to feed the world.

In today’s world of “rock star” yoga celebrities there is a tendency for students to glorify their yoga teachers just as much as there is a tendency for yoga teachers to want to be glorified. Students want to follow and teachers want a following. Students want approval and teachers want to be loved by all. This is off course, not true for all teacher-student relationships in the yoga world; and there’s certainly nothing wrong with admiring a knowledgeable teacher and wanting to learn more under his/her guidance; but as yoga is much about finding your own truth through your own practice, blind faith can be incredibly damaging. Traditionally, the world “Guru” refers to a teacher or master. Gu (darkness) and ru (light), refer to “one who dispels the darkness of ignorance.” While yoga is a physical practice (whether in meditation or through movement), it also walks the fine line between spirituality and religion. While spirituality implies freedom, a search for knowledge and truth within oneself or the universe, religion on the other hand is dogma. The dictionary definition of dogma is “a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.” Religion requires blind faith. In blindly following, we can easily turn our yoga practice from spiritual to religious, and in doing so, we lose our ability to think, observe and experience our own unique condition. Since the popularization of yoga by Krishnamacharya in the early 20th century, many forms and philosophies of yoga have emerged. Krishnamacharya’s lineage gave birth to Iyengar Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga. A classical form of yoga also grew from the teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati and gained in popularity by the work of his disciple, Swami Vishnudevananda. More recently the yoga world has seen a flood of even newer forms such as Anusara, Jivamukti, Scaravelli, Forest, Power, Yin . . . . and the list goes on! Each form of yoga is differentiated by its approach to the philosophy of yoga and its approach to alignment. In some cases, the names of postures may even be slightly different. As responsible yogis, it is important to view each form of yoga as an offering of knowledge. Draw inspiration from all types of yoga. At the same time, question them all. Do not follow any single one with blind faith while judging all others as wrong. If in the end you choose to follow in absolute purity one single form of yoga, do it consciously and with knowledge and awareness that the lessons of the others do not benefit you. But then again, it is impossible for us to try every single form of yoga, so therefore, I suggest always keeping an open mind. Try to avoid thought processes such as “My teacher taught me this. You are saying the opposite, so therefore you are wrong.” These are the kinds of thoughts that lead to war and as yoga is much about peace, it is important for us to respect and accept everyone’s own unique path on their journey to discovering their own truth. Remember also that you are your own Guru. While there are certainly many knowledgeable teachers out there to study with, very often, their opinions and teachings may conflict. Do not be discouraged or confused. It is up to you to determine what is right for you. In practicing with awareness and honesty, the answers will reveal themselves.

Downward-Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana is a posture that’s practiced often in most forms of yoga. In fact, it’s likely that your yoga practice will consist of at least one downward facing dog no matter what style of yoga appeals to you. While this posture is often referred to as a resting posture in Vinyasa Flow yoga, taken as a break between standing postures, it’s an incredibly demanding position that requires your entire body to be engaged, your breath to be active, and your awareness to be fully present. Jessica Magnin’s recent workshop at the Hotel de la Paix in Luang Prabang broke down this complex asana, transforming it part by part. There were a few “aha!” moments in the workshop as participants expressed freedom in the experience of being aligned. We’re sharing these useful tips with you.

To begin, downward facing dog is a posture of reflection and a posture of humility. The head hangs below the heart as we reflect upon the experience of our practice. In Vinyasa Flow yoga, we come into adho mukha svanasana in between standing postures on the left and right sides. In downward facing dog, we restore equilibrium, we restore our awareness, and we bring ourselves back to the present as we observe and fully engage all parts of the body once again.

One of the key points from last Sunday's workshop was the engagement of the the rhomboids to draw the shoulders and arms back. Finding and engaging the rhomboids can be tricky as we often use the muscles in our arms to move them. Simple exercises that isolate the rhomboids can help us identify and understand movements that originate from this area.

With a partner, create resistance in the arm and turn AWAY from each other while keeping the hips squared.

Come into a version of cobra with the hands wider than the shoulders. Claw the mat to draw chest and abdomen forward. Rhomboids activate to draw the shoulder blades down the back.

With a block between the hands, move the arms up and down using the rhomboids.

Placing heels on a rolled up mat or blanket, bend the legs slightly and pull the mat upwards with the hands between the feet, while coming to a flat back.

Squat with lifted heels, claw the mat as if you are pulling it towards you while rounding the spine.

Take downward facing dog with heels on a mat. Claw the mat with the fingertips as if pulling the mat towards you. The rhomboids draw the shoulder blades down the spine as you lengthen through the waist.

Before coming into a full downward facing dog, take your time to set up the posture on all fours.

Set the shoulders up. Dip the chest towards the floor and draw the shoulders back.

Make sure the finer roots and pads are grounded into the floor. Ground into the area between the index finger and thumb.

Hands should be in the same plane.

Your downward dog should be as wide as your high plank. Taking downward dog with the hands and feet too close place a lot of pressure on the shoulders and lower back. You should be able to move from high plank through to downward facing dog without adjusting the placement of your hands and feet.

Importance in downward facing dog is given to the length of the upper body. Lengthen through the waist and the side ribs. You DO NOT need to place your heels on the floor or straighten the legs. Keep the legs slightly bent, draw the heels back and keep the toes lifted. You'll find length through your upper body in this way. Engage the inner thighs as if you're squeezing a block between the legs.

To lengthen in the upper body, keep the legs slightly bent . . .

. . . then draw the heels back, keeping the toes lifted.

Pin the arms and elbow in to shoulder distance apart and rotate shoulder outwards to engage the triceps. Those with a tendency to hyperextend should keep a slight bend in the elbows.

Hollow in the armpits to avoid sinking into the shoulders and arms.

Here are some fun partner adjustments that can help you to feel great in downward facing dog.

Here in Luang Prabang, we’re blessed with the kind of weather that allows us to practice yoga outside almost all year round. But practicing outdoors is not always easy. Most people are used to practicing indoors, in a quiet room, enclosed by walls that physically create the feeling of personal space. Outside, the weather, noise and insect life can often be distracting, but the joys of an outdoor practice far outweigh the cons. Here are ten reasons to practice outside while you’re in Luang Prabang and elsewhere, as well as some tips on how to make the most out of your outdoor yoga practice.

1. Where else can you practice with a picture perfect view of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers? Most yoga studios are indoors, so most likely, a majority of your yoga classes have taken place inside. This makes sense considering most people live in cities that are not conducive to an outdoor practice either because the weather is not favorable or the environment, such as traffic and pollution, do not support a healthy practice. In Luang Prabang on the other hand, mountains, rivers, great weather and a slightly less modernized environment surround us. Yoga decks on the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers therefore can be used year round. Where else can you get this kind of view? 2. The ancient yogis drew their inspiration from nature. Practicing outdoors can help you connect more deeply to your yoga postures. Ancient yogis observed the natural environment in which they existed and understood how living things drew the energy of Mother Nature to survive and thrive. In modern day yoga asana practice, postures are often named after the natural elements that they represent. While practicing outdoors, draw inspiration in mountain pose from the mountains in the distance or root into the earth like the tree in front of you. Perhaps even experience gratitude for life as you salute the sun while it rises from the horizon. 3. Yoga is about non-duality. Feel oneness with the universe as you practice outside. In non-duality we remove the separation between the universe in which we exist and ourselves as individuals. This is a difficult concept to experience as modern society puts a high value on individuality, placing importance on the “Me,” “I” and “My.” Within the walls of a yoga studio, the focus is often on “my practice,” “my progress,” and “my space.” While there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with this, the experience of an outdoor practice can be eye opening. Outside we have less control over our environment and as such, the practice no longer becomes about “me.” It’s easier to realize our tiny significance and insignificance in the larger scheme of the universe as rivers flow, birds fly and insects buzz around, each with their own role to play, without concern or care that we’re out there in the middle of our yoga practice.4. Have you ever seen the full moon rising behind the mountains and light up the river in front of you as you awake under a starry sky from Savasana? During the winter months in Luang Prabang, the full moon rises above the Nam Khan River, usually at the end of the sunset yoga class, as yogis make their way towards or out of Savasana. The yoga deck is lit with candles. There’s not much else to say about this one. 5. Peace comes from within. There’s a misconception that an enclosed room will protect you from noise. Perhaps if the building were soundproof this would be true. The reality is however, that most are not. Even within the confines of walls, you can hear the rumbling of motorcycles outside, the sound of construction equipment from the house next door or the clatter from the neighbor’s kitchen. Walls often create the illusion of quiet, but true peace comes from within. Practicing outdoors encourages us to quickly look inside ourselves as we cannot always rely on our environment to create the feeling of calm. 6. We naturally feel happier outside, in the sun. It’s common knowledge that catching some sun each day helps to boost serotonin levels and makes us happier people. Maybe it’s a combination of the view, the sun and the yoga, but yogis coming off a practice on our outdoor deck definitely look like they’ve had a dose of the happy pill. If that isn’t a reason to practice outside, I don’t know what is.7. Problems with mosquitos? There’s nothing a little mosquito spray can’t fix. Mosquitos and other insects appear to be the number one reason why people don’t want to practice outside. During the rainy season here in Laos, mosquitos can be more of a nuisance than in the dry, winter months, but that’s not something a little mosquito spray can’t fix. If you’re considering practicing outdoors regularly and are concerned about too much use of Deet, natural insect repellents are just as effective. They need to be reapplied every 3 hours instead of the usual 7 hours required for sprays that contain Deet, but that’s enough for a 90-minute yoga session.8. Learning to deal with unexpected situations is a step towards living life happily. It’s true that it’s a lot harder to control the environment when practicing outdoors. From unpredictable weather, to people chatting, to interruptions from insects and animals, there are a lot of factors beyond our control. But isn’t it also true too that unpredictability is a fact of life? Learning how to navigate unforeseen situations without letting them affect us is key to living a happy life. Next time something happens that’s not within your control, observe how you react to it. Through an outdoor practice, you can hone the ability to let the little things slide with indifference. Does it really matter if someone accidentally walks into your personal space? Was it really “your” space to being with? 9. Experience freedom by practicing outdoors. Ah freedom! It’s something we strive for, yet most of us don’t really know what it feels like. Practicing yoga outdoors can help us experience freedom in a way that cannot be easily replicated indoors. The expanse of the sky above can give us a sense of freedom as it takes us away from the enclosed environments that we are usually confined within (house, office, car etc.). Outside, space is limitless. We connect to this limitless space as we extend upwards from our heels to the crown of our heads and from fingertip to fingertip as we spread our arms like wings into the vastness of the outdoors.10. If you can practice outside, you can practice anywhere, anytime. If you build the ability to practice outdoors, you can pretty much guarantee that you can take your yoga practice anywhere. All you have to do is find a flat surface, close your eyes, look within, and the perfect yoga space can be created. Blog post by Julie (juliehana.com)

There are good yoga teachers, and then there are great yoga teachers. The good teachers challenge us. Physically, they help us push the limits of our capabilities. Mentally and emotionally, they impart confidence, self-worth and discipline. The great teachers however, touch our souls in a way that causes a vital shift to our inner being, leaving us a little bit transformed. In this lifetime, we will likely only encounter a handful of these great teachers. We may not recognize them upon first meeting them. Most probably, we would not have heard of them before. Teachers like these do not seek fame. Rather, they practice and teach, touching one person at a time, without the need for recognition and without the need to be commended. In the end, it is not their goal either to instill these changes in others. Those who come with an open heart and mind will gain the benefit of their teachings. Those that are closed to it will not. They don’t tell us what we should or should not do or think. They do not judge us for how we live our lives. Most importantly, great teachers grow in us, the desire to be better people, to be selfless people. In a single class, these teachers can make you feel your smallness in the larger scheme of the universe, yet feel so connected to it at the same time; to want to sacrifice your own goals for those of humanity; to feel deeply for all of humanity; to have compassion for all things good and bad; to love and to truly seek peace. To all the inspirational teachers out there, THANK YOU!

I’m a yoga teacher, not a cyclist by any standards. In fact, until two weeks ago I had never really enjoyed cycling much. The most I had cycled in recent years was a basic commute to and from the different places where I teach yoga around Luang Prabang. When Virginia from SoulFit Adventures contacted me to ask whether I’d like to join her as a yoga teacher on the next trip around Northern Laos, I certainly had a few concerns. I might have been inclined to turn the offer down had I not gone to bed a month earlier with a plea to the universe to have someone invite me to teach on their retreat. As it turns out, the universe was listening. But a cycling retreat? I took it as a sign – the universe telling me to once again do something I never thought I would. I’ve lived in Laos for over a year and traveled a fair bit through the country. The mountain roads would be no easy feat. Now, a week after the completion of the journey, I’m in awe at what the human mind and body is capable of, I’ve fallen in love all over again with the country I’ve chosen to live in, and feel more connected to the people who call it home. For until you can appreciate every uphill and downhill through the experience of your own physical effort and mental will, you cannot truly appreciate the lives of the people who live each day in the villages scattered throughout. The SoulFit Adventures’ “Cycling for the Soul in Northern Laos” trip is not just about cycling however. It’s a high-end retreat that takes you not only through stunning countryside, but also to some pretty upmarket establishments. Massages included throughout the trip and unlimited yoga ensures a quick recovery for tired muscles. Oh and did I mention the food? Local street food and gourmet gastronomy provided us with much-needed energy. Our local guide Saylom made sure we were always fully stocked with a delicious assortment of fruit for our regular breaks along the road. Off course, for me, teaching and practicing yoga in some of the most beautiful locations was a highlight. From yoga decks overlooking the Namkhan River to awe-inspiring Mekong yoga experiences, I really felt my smallness in the bigger scheme of things. As many yoga postures draw their inspiration from nature, practicing in beautiful and natural surroundings really helps to build a sense of connection to world in which we live. Whether you’re a yogi, cyclist, foodie or adventure junkie, the SoulFit Adventures retreat in Laos has something for you. I guarantee you’ll discover something new and perhaps you’ll even walk away a little bit transformed. Here’s a photo album of some of the highlights of the May 2013 trip. The next trip leaves on October 15. Contact Virginia for more information Virginia@soulfitadventures.com

Let’s face it people, yoga injuries do happen! And, they’re on the rise. In 2007, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported 5,500 yoga-related injuries that were treated in emergency rooms or doctors’ offices. In 2010, that number increased to 7,369. Whether the growth of reported injuries is a result of more people taking up yoga or because we’re finally admitting to it, the fact is, they are happening. Moreover, these figures are probably also understated as there’s still reluctance amongst many in the yoga community to concede to the notion that yoga can do harm. Now wait a minute! I’m a yoga teacher, so why am I telling you this? I should be telling you about all the positive things that come with developing a regular yoga practice right? Well, I’m about to do that too. But the important lesson here is that, just like other physically challenging activities, you can hurt yourself. Accepting this is the first step in injury prevention. Yoga used to be viewed by many as a practice that could do no harm, so people practiced as if this were true. We now know this view to be incorrect. Approaching your yoga practice with awareness of your body and awareness how the practice relates to your own body is essential. So now, the good stuff. I’m off course a strong proponent of yoga. I’ve practiced for 10 years now and seen my body transform over the years. I’ve managed chronic knee and back pain through yoga and even kept my lymphangioma, a malformation of the lymphatic system, under control. Yoga has been known to relieve medical conditions from arthritis, to auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. From a mental and emotional perspective, it helps us to sweat the small stuff less. But all this would be for nothing if we don’t learn to keep our yoga practice safe.

I know it sounds cliché, but ultimately, the ego is the number one cause of yoga injuries. It’s not just the ego of the student that can be harmful, but that of the teacher as well. To quote an article by Sura in the Huffington Post (The Dark Side of Yoga): “The way people approach life is the way people show up on their yoga mat. And yoga teachers are no exception. Some yoga teachers may lead with a sense of aggression and competition while others will promote a feeling of safety and peace.” While yoga is a practice that’s supposed to help us let go of our ego, the reality is that we are ego-full beings. It’s not uncommon for the ego to be unleashed before it is diminished. For students, this may mean forcing ourselves into a posture that our bodies may not be ready for. For teachers, it may mean telling students to come to class despite their injuries, just to keep attendance high. Both are incredibly dangerous. It’s also not uncommon in class to hear the teacher say things like “breathe through the pain” and “work around your edge.” I’m not a fan of the “one size fits all” approach and find that phrases such as these can be incredibly harmful. For someone that’s more sluggish, lacks energy and harder to motivate, encouragement to work around his or her edge can be safe enough. However, for the competitive, high-energy, driven person, these words may be the extra half centimeter in hanumanasana (forward split) that leads to a torn hamstring, the straight legs that leads to an injured lower back, or the extra 3 breaths in sirsasana (headstand) that causes the neck and shoulder injury. Furthermore, teachers need to feel ok to tell their students to stop their yoga practice until they consult a physician, especially when the teacher is not well informed about the student’s condition. And certainly there’s nothing wrong with saying, “I don’t know, but let me consult a senior teacher or yoga therapist and get back to you. In the meantime, avoid this posture/practice until I find out more.” Yoga can be an incredibly beneficial practice to all, but it’s up to each individual, whether student or teacher to ensure the practice remains safe and sustainable.

When it comes to modern-day yoga, there are certainly enough styles out there to spin your head around in circles. From the more traditional Ashtanga and Iyengar practices, yoga has sprung into a myriad of branches as a result of branding in a competitive market. Amongst the different styles of yoga, Vinyasa Flow has emerged with increasing popularity in recent years. But Vinyasa Flow itself covers such diverse practices that it can also be divided into subcategories ranging from the more basic “Gentle Flow” to the more dynamic, Ashtanga-inspired “Power Yoga.” As a Vinyasa Yoga teacher however, the true meaning of Vinyasa Flow, to me, lies less in definition of the “style” and more in the “intention” of the practice and the lessons learned through movement. The word “Vinyasa” refers to: (1) The synchronization of breath and movement and (2) an intelligent sequencing of postures linked to create a continuous flow. Whether gentle or dynamic, Vinyasa Flow classes are typically marked by a smooth transition from one posture to the next. For students and teachers with an appreciation for individuality and aversion to rigidity, the practice permits creative freedom. While Vinyasa Flow has its roots in the more structured Ashtanga Yoga, today the practice has absorbed pieces of many different styles and Vinyasa teachers borrow liberally from the world around them.

At its core, Vinyasa Flow is about experiencing life. Through the continuous flow of movement, we are reminded of the impermanence of everything but change. Because there is no pre-defined sequence in Vinyasa Flow, classes are unpredictable, encouraging students to leave behind their expectations. There’s a lesson of acceptance in the flow as we are reminded to receive pleasure and pain, joy and sadness, triumphs and falls equally. The practice of Vinyasa Flow emphasizes the process rather than the end goal, so rather than measuring progress by proficiency in a posture, students are told to observe their own reactions, be it frustration, determination, anger, obsession or enjoyment. It’s the knowledge gained of oneself in the journey towards the posture that is the ultimate lesson here.

In the end, Vinyasa Flow is about finding joy in movement as well as joy in life. It’s about being open and adventurous and stepping out of the box. Sometimes, it’s about breaking rules and redefining what you see in front of you. Developing a personal Vinyasa Flow practice at home can also help you to connect with yourself. It’s a great exercise in learning how to give yourself exactly what you need and having fun at the same time. Remember, try not to take yourself or your practice too seriously. Stay lighthearted and enjoy the ride.